Faced with crippling losses and slow sales, Jaguar is on a mission to provoke debate. "We know that the new Jaguar XJ will polarize opinions," says the XJ brand manager, Dermot Harkin. "Some people will love it and others will hate it, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. At least people are talking about it."
It's a stark admission that for all its sophisticated engineering and aluminum construction, the old XJ looked too much like its predecessor to capture the imagination...
In a bid to right the wrong, Jaguar's design director, Ian Callum, has given the XJ a midlife overhaul. It's as radical as could be expected, given the limited budget at Callum's disposal. The new "gaping mouth" grille grabs the attention, but the changes to the side sills and rear fender are no less significant. Together, they give the car a much more sporting, athletic stance. It's still not what you'd call modern, but at least it's got presence and in this sector of the market, presence is everything.
The new XJ arrives in the U.S. this fall. — Alistair Weaver, Contributor
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roar02ram says:
11:15 AM, 03/ 6/07
Since when did sawed-off, square-lookin' bumpers fit into Jaguar's curvy image? Idiots. I don't understand why Jaguar hasn't been able to take all of this brand's cachet & brand equity & reinterpret it with a touch of modernity. It's bound to be controversial (BMW's was), but good grief, it can be done.
ateixeira says:
01:47 PM, 03/ 6/07
I don't like it at all. Looks like an aftermarket body kit. Definitely lost its flow and consistency.
estreka says:
05:45 PM, 03/ 6/07
The front lip looks alright (if not a little overdone). The trunk lid looks like it came straight off a Sebring (picnic table, anyone?). I absolutely hate those plastic inserts in front of the front doors. It looks good on other models, but not this.
hondacura4 says:
08:07 AM, 03/ 9/07
It looks as if Ford helped Jaguar from a reliability standpoint (did I just say that?) but in the process Jaguar lost its identity. Jaguar use to have have a mysteriousness about it thats not present anymore, thats what made the brand standout.
93aero says:
12:44 PM, 03/28/07
I DESPISE THAT REAR END. The back is the ugliets part of this car. I would rather back up inot a pole after buying this car, just so that no 1 sees the original ulgliness